SCRIPTURE: John 1:1-5
Some explanation is needed to make sense of this mysterious language.
John ties his version of Jesus’ story to the beginning of creation: ‘In the beginning’ (Genesis 1:1).
God creates the world through the creative, powerful word: ‘Let there be…’ (Genesis 1:3)
This ‘word of God’ is how God interacts with us, relates to us personally.
The Jews had a deep reverent sense of God, the Ultimate Being behind and before all reality.
To express the mysterious fullness of God, they used different words and expressions.
– Elohim, the most high God, the Creator and Father OVER all reality
— Yahweh, the covenant Lord, personal, interactive, the Voice of God speaking WITH creation
— The Spirit of God, the life and power of God at work IN creation and IN us
These were not three different Gods, but three different ways of relating to the one and only God.
God OVER us (Elohim), God WITH us (Yahweh), God IN us (Spirit).
They did not articulate this as a TRINITY (or ‘tri-unity’, this language developed later on).
But they did relate to God in this three dimensional way.
When Jesus comes, the early disciples wrestled with how to make sense of Who He was.
They soon realized they were dealing with Yahweh (Lord), the personal speaking and relating expression of God.
The Word (Voice) that is God (oneness), the Word (Voice) that is with God (distinction).
The same reality of God that all things were made through, the Voice of God relating WITH us!
This may be hard to wrap your mind around.
But as the disciples try to figure out Who Jesus is, they go back to the very mysterious nature of God.
The God Who is OVER us, and IN us, steps into the world to be WITH us.
And nothing – not even death – can snuff out His life, His light!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I don’t pretend to understand the mysterious Being of God. But I do thank You for surrounding and supporting me with Your three-dimensional fullness: OVER me, WITH me and IN me!